We may finally know the true identity of Jack the Ripper after 137 years of mystery

The true identity of formidable serial killer Jack the Ripper has been revealed after a huge breakthrough in the 137-year-old case.

There has been an unbelievable breakthrough in the gruesome Jack the Ripper serial killer case that has haunted England for over a century.

After 137 years of mystery, we may finally know the true identity of the killer who terrorised the streets of London in 1888.

Police believe Jack the Ripper is responsible for the brutal rape and murders of at least five women – known as the Canonical Five – but could very well have committed at least six more.

The victims were Mary Nichols, 43, Annie Chapman, 47, Elizabeth Stride, 44, Catherine Eddowes, 46, and Mary Jane Kelly, 25.

The front page of the local newspaper reporting on the murders in September 1888 Picture: Alamy.

All five women were brutally murdered between the months of August and November 1888.

Three of the victims had their internal organs removed, leading to widespread speculation that the killer possessed anatomical or surgical knowledge.

The burning question of what kind of psychopath could have committed such monstrous acts has plagued police, historians and crime buffs alike for over a hundred years.

A long list different suspects have popped up over the years, however investigators have not been able to definitively pin down a single suspect to the crimes,

But now, we might finally have an answer.

Self-proclaimed ‘Ripperologist’ and British author Russell Edwards purchased a shawl belonging to one of the victims, Catherine Eddowes, which contained blood and semen back in 2007.

Years later, it was put through forensic testing where it was found to contain DNA from two separate people.

Russell Edwards pictured with the shawl connected to the Jack the Ripper case. Picture: Instagram / Russell Edwards

One of them matched a descendant of the female victim. while the other matched the descendants of a Polish immigrant, who would have been around 23 at the time of the murders.

Upon discovering this male’s name, Edwards was able to reveal the true identityof the cold-blooded killer behind the facade of ‘Jack the Ripper’: Aaron Kosminski.

“Considering his DNA is on the shawl that was at the murder scene and he was named, I have never considered anyone else to be the Ripper,” Edwards told news.com.au.

“I have, however, looked into every other suspect in order to eliminate them.

Aaron Kosminski was a Polish barber is believed to be the real man behind 'Jack the Ripper'. Picture: Instagram

“The DNA work was a huge four-year process. We had to bypass the issue of contamination, plus many other hurdles.

“It was a voyage of discovery, with many twists and turns. The adventure was thrilling from beginning to end and I was lucky to experience it.”

Edwards said that when he discovered the DNA from the shawl matched, he was absolutely elated to have made such a breakthrough.

“When we matched the DNA from the blood on the shawl with a direct female descendant of the victim, it was the singular most amazing moment of my life at the time,” he said.

“We tested the semen left on the shawl. When we matched that, I was dumbfounded that we actually had discovered who Jack the Ripper truly was.”

Jack the Ripper has five known victims, but it is believed he has more. Picture: Supplied

Edwards has been dedicated to all things Ripper for over 11 years and explained that he first became interested in the topic after watching a film about the killer.

“I saw the movie ‘From Hell’ and then did a Jack the Ripper tour,” he said.

“It was then I realised I had been walking in his footsteps all that time and didn’t know.

“After that, I called Scotland Yard and asked where the case files were. I was told they were in the National Archives at Kew.

“I went and conducted some research and found quite quickly that nobody would ever know the identity of Jack the Ripper as there was not any evidence.

“It was only when I bought the shawl that my journey really began.”

Sketched image from the newspaper back in 1888. Picture: Supplied

While the testing process has been disputed by some scientists, Edwards has held his ground in the validity of his methods.

Born in Kłodawa in central Poland, Kosminski moved to England with his family as a child and eventually began working as a barber in London’s Whitechapel district.

Medical records show that he had suffered from mental illness since at least 1885 and had spent time in various ‘lunatic asylums’ around London.

His condition reportedly took the form of auditory hallucinations, a fear of being fed by other people, as well as a refusal to wash or bathe.

He later died in 1919 at age 53.

Catherine Eddowes was Jack the Ripper's fourth victim. Picture: Instagram

A relative of one of the victims said it would 'mean everything' to have the case solved. Picture: Instagram / Russell Edwards

The descendants of Jack the Ripper’s victims are now calling for police to do an immediate investigation into Aaron Kosminski to make Edwards’ findings official.

Karen Miller, the great-great-great-granddaughter of victim Catherine Eddowes, said that it would “mean a lot” to her and her family to put an end to this 137-year-old mystery.

“The name Jack the Ripper has become sensationalised, it has gone down in history as this famous character,” the 53-year-old told the Daily Mail.

“It has all been about him, this iconic name, but people have forgotten about the victims who did not have justice at the time.

“What about the real name of the person who did this? Having the real person legally named in a court which can consider all the evidence would be a form of justice for the victims.

“We have got the proof, now we need this inquest to legally name the killer.

One of the Jack the Ripper murder sites in Whitechapel, London. Image shot 2007. Picture: Alamy

“It would mean a lot to me, to my family, to a lot of people to finally have this crime solved.”

Despite the evidence, some have cast doubt on the findings.

The research has not yet been published in a scientific peer-reviewed journal, which means that the claims cannot be independently verified or the methodology scrutinised.

Under UK law, it is up to the attorney general to approve a further inquest into the Jack the Ripper case.

Two years ago, Attorney-General Michael Ellis refused the request, saying there was “not sufficient new evidence” to support an inquest.